Xbox boss says console success secured FFXIII

Albert Pennello, Xbox's global marketing director, believes the success of the Xbox 360 is the main reason the console has managed to secure FFXIII - a game previously exclusive to PlayStation.

The news comes from a fresh interview that has surfaced from E3, in which Pennello dismisses any talk of "behind the scenes" tactics in getting the deal.

"I think a lot of people assume a lot of things about why Square made that announcement," he said. "I think the most obvious reason that they made the announcement is just looking at the success of our console. I mean, we’re the leading console on a worldwide basis; we’re more than double the install base on the US.

"I actually think it’s a great partnership. Square has done games for us in the past, and I think there’s a point where Square just has to look at the Xbox 360, the install base and attach rates that we’re seeing and actually has to make a decision on their own that it’s the right thing to do for them.

“So, I think people make a lot of assumptions about what they read or the rumours that go around, but the reality of a lot of this is that we’re doing very well, we have a great install base, we have passionate gamers like you guys that buy a lot of games, and a publisher like Square can’t ignore that.

“I think it’s easy to assume that something’s going on behind the scenes, I think the more obvious answer is we’re doing really well and the game creators want their games to be where the most people and the most consoles [are], and right now that’s the Xbox 360.”